In the microelectronic field, the increase in the density of the circuits involving the smaller and smaller component sizes creates a need for more and more input/output lines, all of which produces ever increasing heat dissipation problems. If cost was not an important factor, these problems might be dealt with more readily, but reducing the assembly cost is equally important.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,561 to Earl et al. describes a connector for attaching a heat sink to a circuit board by a pair of spring-biased legs on projections to expand the legs to engage the opposite side of holes in a circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,940 to Soule et al. describes a device for attaching a heat sink by a pin with a point that compresses as it passes through a hole in a circuit board and expands on the opposite side to hold an electronic package between the heat sink and the circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,735 to Earl et al. describes a heat sink for attaching to a pin grid array by clips that are compressed to engage grooves along opposite sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,096 to Churchill et al. describes a clip to hold a heat sink against a semiconductor by projecting over an arcuate section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,746 to King describes a clip with three legs fitting through slots in a heat sink for attaching it to a semiconductor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,118 to Johnson et al. describes a heat-conducting cap holding a chip package mated with a multi-pin and socket array.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,942 to McCarthy describes a heat sink that is fitted on solid state devices to maintain thermal conditions with studs projecting through a circuit board.
A U.K. patent application No. 2,198,888 by Moore describes an assembly including a semiconductor device on a platform that is in thermal contact with a heat sink by means of a supporting stud.